Probe station having multiple enclosures

• US 7,626,379 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2007
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cascade Microtech Incorporated (FormFactor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cascade Microtech Incorporated (FormFactor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hawkins, Jeffrey A., Hayden, Leonard A., Dougherty, R. Mark, Peters, Ron A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Ha Tran T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tung X
• Application Number:
  US11/977,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20080048693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 324/158.1, 324/765, 324/760, 324/754, 324761-762, 438 14- 18, 257/48
• US Class Current: 324/750.27
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/04 Housings; Supporting members; Arrangements of terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/18 Screening arrangements against electric or magnetic fields, e.g. against earth's field
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/002 where the device under test is an electronic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2808 Holding, conveying or contacting devices, e.g. test adapters, edge connectors, extender boards probe, multiprobe, probe manipulator or probe fixture G01R1/067
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/286 External aspects, e.g. related to chambers, contacting devices or handlers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2886 Features relating to contacting the IC under test, e.g. probe heads; chucks G01R31/2865 takes precedence, test connections, e.g. test sockets, or probes per se, G01R1/04 or G01R1/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2889 Interfaces, e.g. between probe and tester G01R31/31905 and G01R1/07364 take precedence

Abstract

A probe station for probing a test device has a chuck element for supporting the test device. An electrically conductive outer shield enclosure at least partially encloses such chuck element to provide EMI shielding therefor. An electrically conductive inner shield enclosure is interposed between and insulated from the outer shield enclosure and the chuck element, and at least partially encloses the chuck element.

Claims

1. A probe station for probing a test device, said probe station comprising:

(a) a chuck suitable for supporting said test device during probing thereof;

(b) an electrically conductive first enclosure at least partially enclosing said chuck and insulated therefrom;

(c) an electrically conductive second enclosure interposed between and insulated from said first enclosure and said chuck, and at least partially enclosing said chuck;

(d) respective electrical connections connected electrically to said chuck and said second enclosure, respectively, causing said second enclosure and said chuck to have respective potentials independent of each other;

(e) said second enclosure having a first portion substantially fixedly mounted with respect to said first enclosure and a second portion movably mounted with respect to said first enclosure, said chuck and said second portion being interconnected so as to move in unison with respect to said first portion.

2. The probe station of claim 1 including a selective connector mechanism enabling respective different potentials to be selectively established on said second enclosure.

3. The probe station of claim 1 wherein a supporting surface of said chuck extends laterally, and said chuck is selectively movable laterally with respect to said first enclosure and said first portion of said second enclosure, said second portion of said second enclosure having conductive material interconnecting said chuck with said first portion of said second enclosure and movable laterally with respect to said first portion in response to lateral movement of said chuck.

4. The probe station of claim 3 wherein said conductive material is flexible.

5. The probe station of claim 4 wherein said conductive material is pleated.

6. The probe station of claim 1 wherein said first enclosure supports said first portion of said second enclosure in an insulated substantially fixed spaced relationship thereto.

7. The probe station of claim 1 wherein said second enclosure and said chuck are both guard potential.

8. probe station for probing a test device, said probe station comprising:

(a) a chuck having respective first and second elements electrically insulated from each other, the first element including a supporting surface for supporting said test device during probing thereof, and the second element having conductive material in spaced relationship to said supporting surface;

(b) an electrically conductive first enclosure at least partially enclosing said first and second elements and insulated therefrom;

(c) respective electrical connections connected to said first and second elements causing said first and second elements to have substantially equal potentials;

(d) an electrically conductive second enclosure interposed between and insulated from said first enclosure and said first and second elements, and at least partially enclosing said first and second elements;

(e) a further electrical connections connected electrically to said second enclosure causing said second enclosure to have a potential different from the potentials of said first and second elements, said further electrical connections not being electrically connected to said first enclosure.

9. The probe station of claim 8 including a selective connector mechanism enabling respective different potentials to be selectively established on said second enclosure.

10. The probe station of claim 8, further including an electrically conductive member opposing said supporting surface and in spaced relationship thereto, said conductive member being electrically connected to said second element, said second enclosure being interposed between said first enclosure and said conductive member and insulated from said conductive member.

11. The probe station of claim 8 wherein said supporting surface extends laterally, and said chuck is selectively movable laterally with respect to said first enclosure and a portion of said second enclosure, said second enclosure having conductive material interconnecting said chuck with said portion of said second enclosure and movable laterally with respect to said portion in response to lateral movement of said chuck.

12. The probe station of claim 11 wherein said conductive material is flexible.

13. The probe station of claim 12 wherein said conductive material is pleated.

14. The probe station of claim 8 wherein said first enclosure supports a portion of said second enclosure in an insulated substantially fixed spaced relationship thereto.

15. The probe station of claim 8 wherein said second enclosure and said chuck are both guard potential.